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Giorgio Armani, who just bought a $17.5 million penthouse, doesn't believe he's the third-richest person in Italy: 'There are some people who are hiding'
Photo by Lia Toby/BFC/Getty Images
- Billionaire fashion designer Giorgio Armani just bought a $17.5 million penthouse in Manhattan.
- On December 4, The Guardian published fashion editor Hannah Marriott's interview with Armani.
- In it, Armani disputed Forbes' estimate of his wealth and said he doesn't like what Marriott terms the "billionaire bashing" seen in both the US and UK elections.
- Armani has a personal fortune of about $11 billion, according to Forbes, and is known for his namesake luxury brand, which was founded in 1975.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories
On December 4, The Guardian published fashion editor Hannah Marriott's interview with billionaire fashion designer Giorgio Armani, shortly after after he was honored with the "Outstanding Achievement" award at this year's British Fashion Awards.
Less than a week later, Katherine Clarke of The Wall Street Journal reported that Armani had purchased the New York City penthouse belonging to his neighbor, departing T-Mobile CEO John Legere, for "roughly $17.5 million."
Armani is best known for his namesake luxury brand, which made roughly $2.3 billion in revenue last year. He serves as the creative director of the Emporio and Giorgio Armani labels and is the chairman and CEO of the Armani Group.
Armani doubts the accuracy of Forbes' ranking of his wealth
The designer told Marriott to take his Forbes-reported $11 billion net worth and Forbes' wealth rankings with a "pinch of salt." In particular, Armani cited Forbes listing him as the third-richest person in Italy (where he currently still ranks, per the latest available data from Forbes' Real-Time Billionaires List) - something which the designer refuses to believe.
"There are some people who are hiding," he said.
Still, Armani agreed that being known for an extravagant lifestyle has been beneficial, in a sense. "Being known for what I earn has helped the brand and made it the pinnacle of luxury," he said.
The designer isn't a fan of "billionaire bashing"
Marriott also asked Armani about the "billionaire bashing" that has been observed in both the US and the UK elections. When Marriott questioned whether the esteemed designer felt personally targeted by this "billionaire bashing," Armani said he didn't "like it."
In the United States, 2020 Democratic presidential nominee frontrunners like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, have been calling for the redistribution of wealth in the country. "I don't think that billionaires should exist," Sanders said, per The New York Times, also noting the "immoral level of income and wealth inequality" in the country.
In 2017, The Washington Post reported that the top 20% of households hold 90% of the wealth in the US, while the top 1% own 40% of the nation's wealth.
Meanwhile, in the UK, The Independent reported on Wednesday that the six richest people in the UK hold more money than the bottom 13.2 million in the nation combined.
A representative for Armani didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
- US will give runway rights at NJ airport to a budget airline
- Wealth management firm White Oak Capital gets SEBI’s nod to enter mutual fund business
- IPO-bound Pine Labs raises another $100 million
- Virat Kohli to step down as India’s T20 captain, says he had ‘immense workload’ over the years
- India's bad bank gets government nod — green lights NARCL with ₹30,600 crore guarantee


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Facebook recently announced more than 750 million active users worldwide. That’s ACTIVE users. Half use Facebook several times a day. Plus, 75% of marketers plan to increase their use of Facebook in 2011!
So let me ask you a question. Is your business leveraging the power of Facebook?
Keep reading to learn what’s changed with Facebook and to find out about a special event (from Social Media Examiner) just for businesses.
How Has Facebook Changed?
“Well, of course,” I hear you saying. “Sending an e-newsletter to subscribers who have opted in would most certainly have a fairly high open rate.”
So why would you want to broadcast your online message to millions of people who couldn’t care less, and be happy with a 3% click-through rate? Why are you still marketing online the same way you marketed offline?
He identified 73 of the most important keywords his prospective customers would search for. Then he created 73 different blogs that focused on each keyword and assigned a dozen employees to write those blogs.
The results amazed him. Once the blogs took off, customer contacts increased 600% in a single quarter. And everyone who contacted a blog author, commented on a blog post or downloaded a white paper opted in to the company’s customer database.
As of March 2011, Social Media Examiner has 59,000 email subscribers, 33,000 Facebook fans, over 60 writers and half a million page views per month.
In addition, the site has generated almost $2 million in sales; ranks among the top 12 websites on two Technorati lists – business and small business; and ranks among the top 1,500 websites in the entire United States, according to Alexa.
When marketing consultant Scott Stratten worked with the owners of a new restaurant, he recommended inviting residents of a nearby condo complex to a free dinner. Over two nights, the owners could get 150 people to start the buzz about the new restaurant in town.
But the owners balked at giving away free food, which they estimated would cost them several thousand dollars. Yet they had spent $5,000 on a magazine ad!
“How many customers did it bring in?” Stratten asked. “We don’t know,” they replied.
When little-known, first-term Illinois senator Barack Obama faced Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, he knew he couldn’t compete with her financially. He couldn’t afford telemarketing and direct mail campaigns or TV and radio advertising.
So instead of playing by the old rules, he made new rules. He started blogging and he created profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
He also hired the co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes, to be his Internet strategist. And he won the Democratic presidential nomination even though he spent a lot less money than his opponent.
At the time of the election, Obama had five million fans on Facebook—over four million more than Clinton. On MySpace, the numbers were approximately 800,000 and 200,000, respectively. On Twitter, he had over 100,000 followers and his opponent had about 5,000.
If you heard about a marketing strategy that could substantially lower your marketing expenses and return 600% or more of your investment, would you be interested in learning more about it?
When Social Media Examiner surveyed 1,900 marketers in 2010, half said they wanted to learn more about this strategy.
Of those just starting out in social media marketing, 65% wanted to learn more about it. And 81% of all the marketers surveyed said they would definitely increase their use of this strategy.
No, it’s not Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube.
Sure, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were among the top four social media tools among this group of marketers.

domain: news


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Apple Stock News
According to sources such as respected technology analyst TrendForce, as well as respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Ku of KGI Securities, there will be three new iPhones released in 2018. The most noticeable change will be the size of the devices. The next generation of the iPhone X will come in two model ranges, standard and plus. The standard handset will remain at 5.8-inches. The plus version will have a display of 6.2-6.5-inches. This giant of a smartphone will test the limits of premium smartphone pricing with a likely sales price of $1,099 to $1,149. Both next generation iPhone X’s will use the second generation of Face ID technology which is expected to result in an increased screen-to-body ratio and possibly an increased memory configuration.
The third new iPhone should take the place of the iPhone 8 and 8+. It will have a LCD display and is rumored to be an upgrade to the iPhone SE with the display size growing from 4-inches to 6.1-inches. It is also rumored that the 2018 iPhones will rely on both Qualcomm and Intel 4G modems and they will all support Gigabit LTE transmission speeds. Only the 2017 iPhones that had Qualcomm modems could support these speeds before. This expanded iPhone lineup should be the most comprehensive to date due to the various options in terms of pricing and form. Apple also seems to have learned from its iPhone X production mistakes because according to Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson, 3D sensing suppliers “are being told to generate volume for the Fall 2018 launch that is three times what was made for the iPhone X this past year.”
In Other News
It’s believed that the iPad Pro lineup will get some of the new technologies now in the iPhone X. The new iPad Pro will have no home button, will feature a slimmer bezel, and it will support Face ID which would yield a larger display size. The tablets should still have LCD displays. Per Digitimes, Apple will also launch a new 9.7-inch iPad at a price of $259. This price is $70 less than the price of the popular iPad launched in March 2017.
According to Citi, there’s a 40% chance Apple will buy Netflix. It will be easier due to Apple having access to its repatriated cash soon. Apple has never done large acquisitions before, but Netflix is the clear leader in the streaming space and Apple is keen on succeeding in this market.
On September 8th, 2017, I Know First sent to subscribers a bullish forecast for AAPL. Since then, Apple’s stock has increased 8% in accordance with the forecast.
Current I Know First subscribers received this AAPL forecast on September 8th, 2017.
For the latest Apple Stock News, AAPL closed at $172.26 per share on January 2nd, 2018. It increased 1.79% from its previous close on December 29th, 2017, when it closed at $169.23 per share.
Keep checking back for more news regarding AAPL. For full AAPL daily forecasts and investment advice by our state-of-the-art algorithm click here.


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Monday, May 20 2013 11:25 AM EDT2013-05-20 15:25:03 GMT
Two men, one black and one white, burst into the Petro Store at the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 45 Sunday night, and attacked the clerk, stealing money. The victim told authorities that theMore >>
Two men, one black and one white, burst into the Petro Store at the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 45 Sunday night, and attacked the clerk, stealing money.More >>
Monday, May 20 2013 10:54 AM EDT2013-05-20 14:54:19 GMT
Information from the Georgia Lottery- ATLANTA – A Valdosta man has won a huge jackpot prize playing Fantasy 5. William Gilbert, 71, matched all five numbers from the May 16 Fantasy 5 drawing, winningMore >>
William Gilbert, 71, matched all five numbers from the May 16 Fantasy 5 drawing, winning the 484,201 jackpot prize. Barretts, 6685 Bemiss Road in Valdosta, sold the Quik Pik ticket.More >>
Monday, May 20 2013 10:45 AM EDT2013-05-20 14:45:59 GMT
Thomasville Police Officers responded to Walmart in reference to a shoplifting Sunday night. Employees told police a man left the store with a shopping cart full of items without paying. The employeesMore >>
Thomasville Police Officers responded to Walmart in reference to a shoplifting Sunday night. Employees said the man pulled knife and began swing it at them. He then ran to a vehicle parked in the parking lot and attempted to leave however, but the car would not start, so he took off running.More >>
Monday, May 20 2013 9:30 AM EDT2013-05-20 13:30:40 GMT
By PAMELA SAMPSON AP Business Writer BANGKOK (AP) - The price of oil fell Monday ahead of the release later this week of economic data from the U.S. and China, the world's two largest economies, andMore >>
The price of oil fell Monday ahead of the release later this week of economic data from the U.S. and China. Benchmark crude for June delivery was down 55 cents to $95.47 a barrel, but gas in East Albany was $3.42 this morning....More >>
Monday, May 20 2013 9:03 AM EDT2013-05-20 13:03:02 GMT
A Lowndes County man is behind bars after deputies uncovered nearly half a million dollars of marijuana. Deputies responded to a complaint at Jose Sanchez's house on Highway 129 North Friday. AuthoritiesMore >>
A Lowndes County man is behind bars after deputies uncovered nearly half a million dollars of marijuana.
One Moultrie woman says she got a car dealership ad in the mail with a fake key attached, something that pops up in many mailboxes in south Georgia.
But after her four year-old started her car with the toy key, she knew then that it wasn't your average car ad.
Friday afternoon when Melissa Kilgore went outside to check the mail, she never expected to find a key in her mailbox that she could actually use.
"I was opening up the mail and I had seen one of those little things from Thomasville Toyota with a key on it and you can win a car so I usually think they are just gimmicks," says Kilgore.
Kilgore says she usually gives the keys to her kids to pay with but this time, the key wasn't a toy.
"He grabbed the key and stuck it into the ignition and turned the car over."
That's when her four year old son Zachary started the car. While the keys aren't an exact match, Kilgore says it was enough to start her engine.
"This is my regular key verses the key that was sent out."
Kilgore says she contacted Thomasville Toyota to let them know about the strange coincidence. But now she's worried. She says if a random key started car, one of the thousands that are sent out everyday could start someone else's.
"It makes me worry that kids could get into people's cars and kill people. They are children. Thousands of other people's cars could get stolen."
Kilgore plans to take the key to Thomasville Monday morning, but as for now, the fake key mystery will remain unsolved.


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The first ever vineyard machinery demonstration day organised by Kirkland has proved to be a huge success.
Hosted on Tuesday 21 August 2018 at Simpsons Wine Estate near Canterbury, the day offered vineyard owners, managers and workers an ideal opportunity to discover a diverse array of specialist viticultural machinery in one place.
The Kirkland team were on hand to discuss growers’ varying needs and, unlike attending a trade show, visitors to the event were able to test the equipment on show, which ranged from tractors and telehandlers to cultivators and mowers, sprayers and vine trimmers. In the afternoon, Simpsons Estate kindly put on a wine tasting which proved popular with those attending the open day.
“The open day went very well and we are delighted to have been able to raise awareness among growers of what we can offer as well as being able to display our new machines,” said Scott Worsley, managing director of Kirkland.
One of the most popular machines on show was the Antonio Carraro Mach 4R. The articulated four-wheel drive quadtrack tractor is ideal for vineyards thanks to its narrow build, even weight distribution (which significantly helps to reduced ground compaction) and tracks which provide stability on steep slopes, even in extremely wet conditions. The Mach 4R also has reverse drive functionality which makes it possible to spin the seat 180° to make working with rear mounted implements much easier.
The Orvin ‘wine’ vineyard mower, which is manufactured by Niubo, also drew a lot of attention as the 1.5 metre mower benefits from a unique blade system which has been designed to effectively mulch vine prunings in the rows.


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CVS, Walgreens to offer COVID vaccines this week in New York. Here are the details
ALBANY - Two of the leading pharmacy chains in the nation will be offering COVID-19 vaccines in New York starting this week.
CVS and Walgreens announced in recent days they will have a limited supply of vaccines in select states, and New York is one of them.
And it won't be all stores in New York. Just ones that happen to have a vaccine on any given day or week.
CVS said its in-store availability of vaccines will begin Friday, which is also when its scheduling system will open.
Walgreens said vaccinations will also begin in stores Friday. Pharmacies had already been part of a national program that started in December to provide vaccines for long-term care facility staff and residents.
Under state rules, pharmacies are only allowed to vaccinate those over the age of 65.
“Our pharmacy teams have already provided nearly two million COVID-19 vaccinations and stand ready with their expertise to help educate and vaccinate additional Americans, including those in rural and underserved communities,” John Standley, Walgreens president, said in a statement.
Both companies stressed that there are no walk-in appointments, and people would need to register and search their websites to see which stores have vaccines and to make appointments.
But experts said they are hopeful that the nation's established network of pharmacies will help speed up distribution of the vaccine.
"I have no doubt" that it will, Bunny Ellerin, director of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program at Columbia Business School, told USA TODAY.
CVS and Walgreens join a growing group of local pharmacies, health providers and state-run vaccination sites offering the vaccine in New York.
But all the sites are only as good as the supply available. National pharmacies are largely getting their supply from the federal government, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Cuomo said New York has about 10 million New Yorkers waiting on 300,000 doses because people with comorbidities will be eligible to start getting the vaccines on Monday.
But states are getting a 5% increase this week from the federal government, Cuomo said, and that's after a series of other increases in recent weeks.
"The 5% increase doesn't sound like much but remember, that's on top of the first announcement which was a 16% increase, then the second announcement of 5% , so this is a third announcement of 5%," Cuomo said Tuesday.
"Again, not proportionate to the need but that has been helpful."
How to register at CVS, Walgreens for a vaccine
CVS expects vaccines for about 350 stores across 11 states: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
Vaccines will be offered on an appointment-only basis via CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app.
Those without online access can contact customer service at: (800) 746-7287.
CVS said it is best to go through the website or the phone number rather than calling individual locations.
"Because active stores will change regularly based on vaccine supply, CVS Health will not provide a full list of participating locations," the company said.
Walgreens said it will be providing vaccinations at certain stores in 17 states and jurisdictions: Arizona, Chicago, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New York City, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Walgreens stressed that its vaccine inventory is still limited, but it is available to eligible individuals by appointment only at select Walgreens stores.
Appointments can be made through Walgreens updated appointment scheduler at Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine when vaccine becomes available.
Walgreens said it will also not provide vaccinations on a walk-in basis at this time.
Joseph Spector is the Government and Politics Editor for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Group, overseeing coverage in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or followed on Twitter: @GannettAlbany
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When: Wednesday, October 31
Where: Staten Island, NY
With many NY and NJ residents in desperate need in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Rite Aid’s 50 Acts of Wellness took on a new meaning and focus. Immediately after the storm, The Rite Aid Foundation, store, field and supply chain teams mobilized to distribute free bottled water at five stores in the hardest hit areas. In one neighborhood, Rite Aid associates teamed with NYPD officers to go throughout the community to distribute cases of water to residents. In all, more than four truckloads of water were given out.


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Entrepreneur Chip Pearson has been trying to get the word out that our region’s startup technology sector is a lot bigger — and has created a lot more wealth — than most people probably realize.
As a guy who still lives a short walk from where he went to high school in St. Paul, this misperception matters to him, too. It pains him to see talented young people decide better opportunities must lie out of state. And while he doesn’t quite come out and say it, he seems bugged they may take jobs at companies like U.S. Bancorp or Target, too.
He knows success in technology startups will breed more success, as a technology industry cluster gathers momentum, driving regional economic growth.
He makes a convincing case.
Pearson is such a warm and gracious coffee shop guest that it was easy to forget that he began a recent conversation with a gentle complaint. Even some of the media attention entrepreneurs get seems to completely miss the business value creation story, he said, instead likely reporting all about the varieties of craft beer in the office fridge.
“There’s been a lot of, ‘Isn’t it cute what the kids are doing in their clubhouse, with their pool tables and their beer?’ ” he said.
Pearson actually is one of the region’s best known entrepreneurs of recent years, as co-founder of Minneapolis software firm Jamf. The ironic part of his pitch about an underappreciated sector is when he explains how badly even he underestimated the amount of wealth that’s been realized.
After a board meeting this summer at a Minneapolis company called When I Work Inc., he said he began chatting with the company’s Vice President of Finance Greg Wallace about the last 10 years of successful “exits,” meaning the sale of a company when the founders and other owners get cashed out.
“I was way off in thinking it was about $1 billion,” Pearson said, as Wallace informed him it was at least several billion dollars of total sale proceeds.
Wallace later refreshed his research and compared notes with Jeff Sellner, leader of accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen’s technology practice. Their combined list had more than $7 billion in sale proceeds in the past 10 years, from the closed sale of a little over two dozen software and other technology companies.
As Sellner pointed out: “There’s just a lot of companies flying under the radar. Even when some of these have sizable events, sales in the couple hundred million dollar range, they don’t hit the headlines. I suspect this list should be substantially longer.”
Even the very presence here of a company like When I Work seems to Pearson like an underappreciated fact. This provider of software for employers and hourly workers is about seven years old, yet has a payroll of about 130 employees.
“Outside of the Twin Cities they are seen as kind of a big deal,” Pearson said.
Part of Pearson’s challenge in getting more attention for technology startups, including from job candidates, stems from the success our region has had developing and keeping its constellation of corporate headquarters. As Pearson put it, “the Twin Cities is a company town, of many different companies.”
He sees the impact of those companies in data about technology talent, from lists such as one produced by the real estate firm CBRE. The Twin Cities region seems to have more than its share of good jobs in technology fields, but it’s underrepresented in the number of independent technology companies. That must mean tech workers don’t think a technology startup is a good bet and instead apply at a big company like UnitedHealth Group.
Pearson stepped aside as co-CEO of Jamf a couple of years ago, but he has no plans to chip away at the problem by starting another enterprise software company himself. The job he envisions doing in the next chapter of his career might best be described as a combination of promoter, connector and mentor.
He made a point of saying he speaks only for himself, but he’s formed his own goal of helping the Twin Cities technology sector grow over the next 10 years to at least four times the size it is now.
The first thing that has to happen to achieve his goal is simply more companies. Then there has to be a way to improve the odds of success and increase the speed at which they develop.
He is still working out the details of how he intends to help, but he knows what elements he needs to work on. First, he needs to collect as many founders of successful ventures as he can reach and enlist them as advisers and mentors to younger entrepreneurs.
Pearson said he remains grateful for the coaching and support Jamf board Chairman Jim Hansen gave him and his partner, Zach Halmstad.
“There is no way I could repay him for what he did for me, other than to go do it for some other people,” he said.
Pearson also envisions creating some kind of accelerator program, although it might not be exactly the kind of company in residence model popularized by Silicon Valley institutions like Y Combinator. He just knows there needs to be more hands helping the most promising companies get two years’ worth of development work done in six months.
His last priority is helping to deepen the talent pool, including currently hard-to-find employees for roles like sales representative, digital marketing managers and problem solvers for customers.
If Pearson’s dream is realized, in 10 years Sellner and Wallace will be totaling up the value of the companies acquired and get to more than $28 billion.
If that much wealth does get created in the region from successful exits of technology firms, it doesn’t seem likely that anyone will be asking about what kind of beer those founders all preferred.


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As much as Php2,000 off!
Local brands Starmobile and MyPhone will be slashing prices on their Android line up this week! MyPhone will be having a 1-day sale on June 14, 2013 and will be slashing P2,000 off on the following models:
- MyPhone A848i
- MyPhone A919
- MyPhone A888
Sale will be available on all MyPhone stores and kiosks Nationwide.
Starmobile, on the other hand, is currently on sale until June 15, 2013. Here’s the price list:
- Starmobile Diamond from P9,990 to P7990
- Starmobile Flirt from P9,290 to P7,490
- Starmobile Cystal from P7,990 to P6,990
- Starmobile Astra from P6,990 to P5,990
- Starmobile Engage 7HD from P7,990 to P5,990
- Starmobile Engage 9 from P7,290 to P5,290
To those who have been thinking of getting the Astra, now might be a good time to do so. Note that in the future you can expect an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update over-the-air. Catch the Starmobile sale on all Starmobile stores, kioks and dealers nationwide.


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One of Canada’s Largest Home Service Companies, Best Known for Sales and Rentals of Water and Heating Equipment, Now Offers Level 2 Electric Vehicle Chargers in Select Urban B.C. Markets and Ontario.
Air conditioners, water heaters…and now, Tier 2 EV chargers.
Reliance Home Comfort, a water utility and heating and ventilation equipment company with nearly two million residential customers across Canada, has begun offering electric vehicle chargers alongside other home appliances from every day.
The Reliance program, launched in May, provides two charging stations — the FLO Home G5 and the FLO Home X5 — to select markets in Ontario and British Columbia.
The chargers are offered on a rental basis, a unique program of its kind in Canada, says Reliance. Rather than purchasing a charger up-front and spending the extra money on an in-home assessment and installation, customers sign a seven-year lease agreement with monthly payments and Reliance takes care of the facility.
Yuriy Bilynets, Chief Product Officer of Reliance, said in an interview with Electric Range Canada that the company had been researching electric vehicle chargers for some time and decided last month to capitalize on the growing market.
“We kept an eye on emerging trends, and one of them is obviously electric cars,” says Bilynets. “This is a high-value asset that requires professional installation, and leasing is a proposition that allows the customer to afford this affordably.”
Chargers are currently available in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Kingston and Vancouver. Bilynets says Reliance chose these four markets to start with because of the population density and the potential they saw in these cities to become familiar with electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
“We have a presence of electricians everywhere, but we wanted to launch with the people most familiar with a product who have experience installing EV chargers in the past,” says Bilynets.
About a month into the pilot program, with only minimal promotion and communication, Bilynets says it noticed customer interest.
“We probably have over 2,000 to 2,500 customers who say we’re interested in the product,” he says. “There is enough interest for us to say there is demand.”
Bilynets says Reliance, a company that offers electrical services such as power protection plans and home backup generators installed by master electricians, sees EV chargers as a natural extension of its electrical business portfolio.
He credits the company’s reputation and monthly payment option as key to initial customer demand.
“We wanted to be ready to help our customers with a very popular and affordable solution for our customers.”
Chargers as a device
With the federal government committed to achieving 100% new zero-emission vehicle sales in Canada by 2035, Bilynets says chargers will soon be a requirement to consider when buying a car. .
Consumers will want to charge their car at home, he adds, which means demand for Level 2 chargers (as opposed to using a Level 1 wall outlet) will only increase.
At this early stage in its program, Reliance is marketing EV chargers no differently than any other home appliance.
At present, he wants to provide as much information as possible to customers about the benefits of level 2 chargers.
“You don’t need to Google, you don’t need to find electricians, you don’t need to read their reviews,” says Bilynets. “Our business is to provide peace of mind to customers.”
Going forward, he says Reliance hopes to continue to evolve with the electric vehicle industry and be at the forefront of any new technology in the sector.
“We want to keep pace with our customers when they think about electric vehicles and be a solution for them,” says Bilynets. “That’s what we’re trying to do.”


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BMW announced that it will make an important "product announcement" on the 28th. Without giving too many details, the brand has just confirmed that the event will be held at the Spartanburg plant, in southern California, in the United States.
The City of London should increase restrictions for cars that run through the urban center. The site Autocar published a story that reveals London's proposal to establish an ultra-low-emission zone in its central pathways.
The production version of the Cactus C4 was revealed by Citroen on Wednesday (5). According to the brand, it is a "real alternative to traditional hatchbacks", focusing on design, comfort and cost savings for the owner.
Renault revealed this Saturday (1) submit a new version of the Clio RS (pictured) during the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. The French brand gave no clues about the new model, but the international press suggests that it may be the new top version Gordini line.


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A brand new vegan mezze and cocktail bar, Koocha, has opened in Redland, Bristol on Zetland Road.
Founder, Noda Marvani, opened the restaurant after she inherited it from her father, the business has been in the family for 12 years. Marvani’s heritage is Persian and she decided to open Koocha because she struggled to find good, Persian, vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
According to Bristol Post, 16 plant-based mezze dishes can be ordered at £3.50 each, ranging from Aubergine Dip to Crunchy Spiced Cauliflower to Roasted Garlic and Sweet Potato, or 4 dishes can be ordered for £12.
“All of our food and drink is vegan-friendly, which is something we’re very proud of,” Marvani told Bristol Post. “We’ve put lots of energy into refurbishing the property and trying to get the atmosphere right for a friendly, welcoming cocktail mezze bar which is perfect for day or night. We’re a really passionate team holding all our fingers crossed that these early days go well.”
And, according to one reviewer, things are going well. “Anybody who thinks vegan food has to be flavourless beige slop needs to visit Koocha,” wrote Mark Taylor for Bristol Post. He concluded in his review, “a meal bursting with colour, flavour and a real taste of Persia, Koocha just may be serving the most exciting plant-based food in Bristol.” This is high praise, considering Bristol is considered as one of the most veggie-friendly destinations in the UK.
More and more vegan and veggie-friendly restaurants, cafes and stores have been opening across the country recently.
This is, likely, due to high demand – the amount of vegans living in the UK has risen by 700 percent over the last 3 years. With now 3.5 million vegans and over 7 million vegetarian UK citizens to cater for, businesses are trying hard to stay on top of their game.
Even fast-food giants such as KFC, and the bakery chain Greggs, have announced plans to roll out vegan options. “We know people are more passionate than ever about eating well, and we face a big challenge in shifting their perceptions of what we offer,” said the Head of Food Innovation, Victoria Robertson, for KFC UK.


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Kellie said she and Brandon had local ice cream parlors in their hometowns and questioned why they couldn’t find something similar in Dallas. The husband-and-wife team decided to change that by selling homemade ice cream at farmers markets beginning in fall 2019.
“We got a little scoop cart,” Brandon said. “We did that as a proof of concept to make sure people in Dallas were interested in high-quality, great local ice cream.”
However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted their plans and, like many other small business owners, they had to pivot. The couple began to deliver pints of their ice cream in Dallas.
“We pretty much blew up from there,” Kellie said. “We knew we wanted to eventually open a brick-and-mortar [storefront], so we started looking.”
Because the pandemic had forced many businesses to close, Kellie said the rental market was reasonable for a new business, and they opened Parlor’s Handcrafted Ice Creams in the Hillside Village Shopping Center in April 2022 and recently celebrated the store’s one-year anniversary.
Many ice cream shops have specialty flavors, such as pickled flavored ice cream, Kellie said, adding that these flavors might bring people in the door, but they usually end up ordering a classic flavor.
“We’re unique in the sense that we make our ice cream the way it used to be made,” Kellie said. “We’re more focused on the classic flavors.”
To do that, the ice cream is made daily, Brandon said, using locally sourced ingredients from North Texas farms. In addition to ice cream, the shop also offers chocolate chip cookies using dough from Oak Cliff bakery Candor Bread and serves brownies on weekends made from a recipe passed down in Kellie’s family.
“Our shop is simple,” Kellie said. “You walk in the door and go to the counter and order your ice cream. If you want, you can sit on the benches and hang out, but it’s pretty much just a simple, special ice cream shop.”
Parlor’s Handcrafted Ice Creams, 6465 E. Mockingbird Lane, Ste. 465, Dallas


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OnePlus has announced that its OnePlus 7T Series of phones will launch on 26 September at events in India and North America. To confuse things, a third European OnePlus 7T Series launch event is also
scheduled for 10 October.
The official announcement image doesn’t mention a 7T Pro, but mentions the 90Hz display of the original 7 Pro. The wording of a ‘OnePlus 7T Reveal’ and another ‘OnePlus 7T Series Launch’ means we will likely be getting both updates here – a OnePlus 7T and a OnePlus 7T Pro.
Unless the regular 7T is getting the smooth 90Hz display, a differentiating feature of the current Pro version, we’re not sure what OnePlus can really do to update these phones. We
reported that the 7T Pro could get a small processor upgrade to the Snapdragon 855 Plus but aside from that the original 7 Pro is so good that it’s unclear what the company can offer in a T model.
OnePlus added a new processor, took away bezels and reduced the notch in some of its other T model upgrades but now that it produces two phones with different specs, it is becoming harder to upgrade them so regularly. There might be a McLaren Edition 7T Pro to shake things up, but we’ll have to wait till 26 September – and potentially again until 10 October – to find out exactly what OnePlus has planned for its six month update to the 7 Series.
London OnePlus fans can buy tickets to the launch from
OnePlus’ website on 20 September.
Henry is Tech Advisor’s Phones Editor, ensuring he and the team covers and reviews every smartphone worth knowing about for readers and viewers all over the world. He spends a lot of time moving between different handsets and shouting at WhatsApp to support multiple devices at once.


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David and Kim Nichols have been customers of The Brewer's Kettle for eight years.
The relationship began in 2009 in High Point. Dave Armstrong opened the business, which can be described as a retail shop for high-end wine, beer and cigars while also offering bar service. The setting is comparable to a coffee shop.
"Working retail hours in odd hours of the day, I'd be off while everyone else was at work," David said. "And I happened to find his establishment selling good beer and really good wine. And at these prices, that's really what we were looking for. And we just fell in love with it."
Fast forward to 2017, and the Nichols couple will open their own Brewer's Kettle Wednesday in uptown Lexington. The shop is located at 4 E. First Ave. Brewer's Kettle will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Lexington location will be the fifth The Brewer's Kettle to open. There are also locations in Kernersville, Wilmington, Clemmons and, of course, High Point.
David said he's worked in retail since 1996 and he believes Brewer's Kettle is the type of retail shop people need in the Lexington community.
"It's somewhere where you can sit and hang out with the person next to you and enjoy a pint or you can actually take something to go home," David said. "It's not something you have to stick around for, it's not a bar thing and it's not a retail store. It's the best of both worlds. If you work strange hours, we're here for you. It's something that's kind of that fit for everyone."
The Nichols couple said they want their Brewer's Kettle to have a homey, intimate vibe. David noted that it won't be overwhelming, loud or anything similar to a regular bar scene.
The co-franchisee said he and Kim want to bring their own personalities to the shop.
"We get to place the orders, we can see what's going on here and we can kind of customize our orders to what's going to fit in the community and what people are wanting," David said. "Not every region in the Triad is the same, and not everybody's taste buds are the same. And that actually fluctuates throughout the year, and we want to accommodate that."
David said that when customers enter Brewer's Kettle, they will be greeted with a diversity of beer and wine similar to when a reader enters a library and sees a wall of books.
With that selection will come comfort and tranquility.
"You can sit back, prop up, read a book, drink a beer or glass of wine or go outside and smoke a cigar and enjoy the weather," David said. "That's really what we're looking for."
Ben Coley can be reached at (336) 249-3981, ext. 227 or at firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow Ben on Twitter:@LexDispatchBC


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The high cost of disconnected data
Disconnected data is costing organizations billions and negatively impacting innovation and customer experience.
Data is the lifeblood of an organization. And yet, new research uncovers that data silos and ineffective collaboration are holding companies back, impeding their ability to fully harness their data for better decision-making and faster business outcomes. The result: the wasted time and resources, duplication of work, and missed opportunities caused by disconnected data are stifling innovation, hurting customer experience, and costing businesses $140 billion.
Together with independent research firm Vanson Bourne, we surveyed 500 businesses users and IT decision-makers in large enterprises across the US and UK to determine the true impact of disconnected data, how prevalent it is, what’s causing it, and the problems it’s posing to businesses.
Some key findings of our research include:
- Organizations in the US and UK are losing $140 billion each year in wasted time and resources, duplication of effort, and missed opportunities as a result of disconnected data
- Forty-seven percent (47%) believe disconnected data is negatively impacting their organization’s ability to innovate, develop new products and services, and get them to market quickly
- Forty-six percent (46%) state that disconnected data is impacting their ability to engage, support, and meet the needs of customers
- Over half (56%) believe data silos are building barriers between them and their business objectives
To learn more, download our new study on “The High Cost of Disconnected Data” today.


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The fourth annual Empty Bowls fundraiser event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 18 in the East Syracuse-Minoa Central High School cafeteria. The event, which raises money for local food pantries, is sponsored by the high school art department.
Attendees will receive a simple meal of homemade vegetable or potato leek soup with bread and a beverage for a $1 minimum donation. Handmade bowls of many sizes and designs will also be available for purchase as a reminder that there are always empty bowls and hungry people in the world.
Proceeds will benefit local community food pantries at St. Matthew's in East Syracuse and Heaven's Pantry in Minoa.
The last three Empty Bowl events, which are held every other year, raised a combined total of $12,685.
Students in Clay Club as well as staff members Peter Valenti, Teresa Russo and Cindy Zimmer have spent the fall and winter creating the ceramic bowls. Media Arts students have designed tickets, posters and other marketing materials.
Tickets will be available in advance or at the door. There will also be a silent auction of special pieces. For information, call the high school at 434-3300.


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To decrease the chance that CBDCs would certainly compete with financial institution down payments, the Bank of Canada has said that a possible electronic dollar would not pay interest. Though their research study into CBDCs was prompted by the decreasing use physical currency in payments, the Financial institution of Canada said it has no plans to phase out money, as it’s still the best money offered in terms of security, access and personal privacy. A Canadian electronic currency is planned to bring some of those advantages right into the scenarios where money can not be used, such as in on the internet purchasing or at cashless companies. CBDCs only draw inspiration from cryptocurrencies, however they are substantially different from them. Decentralized electronic currencies such as Bitcoin are borderless, permissionless, and censorship-resistant.
What Is A Cryptocurrency?
It’s feasible that, in the future, cryptocurrencies or CBDCs released by other countries can be extensively utilized in Canada. forex robot could jeopardize the role of the Canadian buck in our economic situation and affect the security of our economic system. Cryptocurrencies are not an ideal replacement for the Canadian buck for many factors. Regarding cash is worried, cryptocurrency worths are far too unsteady and can not touch our financial institution notes for their dependable worth, broad approval and secure support. And as digital devices, cryptocurrency systems do not have the capability to process even a tiny fraction of Canada’s day-to-day credit rating and debit card transactions– not to mention the remainder of the globe’s.
A Discussion On The Fall Financial Statement And Redoubling Government Investing
In many cases, it would work for nations to proceed checking out CBDC, meticulously and systematically, as IMF taking care of director Kristalina Georgieva kept in mind in her recent speech at the Singapore Fintech Event. The Monero budgets are available for a variety of platforms and have every little thing you require to make use of Monero promptly. Bitcoin enjoyed first-mover benefit, and is currently the most traded and popular crypto-currency.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are digital possessions produced by exclusive entities. The entire point of a cryptocurrency is that it is not managed by a main authority; the entire factor of a digital currency is that it is. Cryptocurrencies are speculative properties whose worth varies according to provide and require.
So, you can not remove a cryptocurrency’s worth from the network like taking coins from a piggybank. Concern that governments may go also far with access to details is reputable. And the token-based CBDC could both sustain the growth in brand-new kinds of personal cash such as cryptocurrencies by producing a direct electronic bridge, and restrict any privacy and financial disruption issues. While the physical version of public money could continue to play that anchor, in an electronic globe there is value-added to both sides in developing a direct bridge from the private cryptocurrency to public money, such as CBDC, and the other way around. This simplicity of conversion to and from the Canadian buck makes the exclusive cryptocurrency much more attractive to the client. It additionally makes it more appealing to the reserve bank, as it encourages the exclusive cryptocurrency to connect itself to the Canadian dollar rather than an international currency
Her job has shown up in Canadian Service, PROFIT, Today’s Parent, and Radiance. It is a priority for CBC to develop products that come to all in Canada consisting of individuals with visual, hearing, electric motor and cognitive obstacles. Conventional Leader Pierre Poilievre has actually spoken in favour of cryptocurrencies as a means to “opt-out of inflation.” His business’s entire service design revolves around locating methods for businesses to pay for purchases in as quick and efficient a fashion as possible. ” So we want to see to it that they have an option that is as safe as the cash in their wallet. But electronic,” Rogers informed CBC Information.
Nigeria’s eNaira digital money, launched in 2021, is seeing likewise low fostering and usage numbers. Furthermore, if a CBDC is programmable, it would allow the government to proactively incentivize or disincentivize particular behaviors by its population. For example, it could directly protect against residents from acquiring points like alcohol or cigarettes, if the government would certainly wish to proactively inhibit intake. Issues related to electronic currencies centre around their rate volatility, links to criminal behaviour, and environmental influences. However, lots of suggest that digital money and their sustaining innovations might likewise be used to lower hardship.
A retail CBDC calls for a system to supply and distribute it to individuals, organizations, and the government. Nonetheless, this system might take various kinds, depending on the duties of the central bank, industrial financial institutions, and various other settlement system company and operators. These duties could then be supported by a wider system, consisting of information service providers, applications, and point of sale devices to launch and approve settlements. Making use of only cash to make and receive settlements leaves the unbanked outside the official financial system and without the information and transaction tracks required to quicker access financial solutions such as credit scores and insurance coverage. A CBDC that works offline might assist attend to barriers to economic incorporation and reduce rubbings in between payment methods. A key feature of an offline CBDC is that users can also spend their funds online when they do have access to the web.
Individuals who use charge card or economic services applications to purchase groceries do so with settlements innovation firms like Visa or PayPal. Individuals sending out cash to family members in an additional nation involve cord solutions vendors like Western Union to promote the transfer. Similarly, several were hesitant to accept cryptocurrency as a type of settlement when it was initially presented in 2009.
Yet when the worldwide economic system looks shaky– like it did in 2008– many people around the world turn to money. That’s due to the fact that central banks can’t fail like industrial financial institutions do, so cash is the most safe fluid financial property. Crypto money– from Bitcoin or Ethereum to Facebook’s strategies to release an electronic currency– have attracted attention because of the opportunity of straight settlement across the globe without utilizing intermediaries.


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A luxury North Wales holiday park has applied for permission to open all-year round, despite local concerns it would lead to an “estate” of holiday homes.
The Warren in Abersoch, Gwynedd has to shut between January 17 and March 1 under current planning rules.
But its owners, the Haulfryn Group Ltd, want to capitalise on the February half term and Valentine’s weekend and have applied to Gwynedd Council to have a restriction to all-year opening lifted.
They say this would allow existing part-time and seasonal post to become full-time and would create another 35 jobs.
Planning officers have recommended that bid is approved, ahead of a committee meeting in Caernarfon on Monday, March 2.
But Llanengan Community Council is urging councillors to refuse the request on the basis that it could lead to an “estate of new permanent homes” and lead to an increase in the number of holiday homes in the community.
It would also “create a precedent” for other parks to extend their seasons.
But the Warren’s owners insist stringent measures are already in place to ensure that users do not use their caravans or lodges as their main residences.
“Haulfryn Group have procedures in place for checking and recording proof of address for holiday caravan and holiday lodge owners, the information is retained on a database which is updated annually,” they said in a supporting document to the planning application.
“The licence agreement for a holiday caravan pitch which is issued by Haulfryn Group to all holiday caravan and holiday lodge owners clearly states that the holiday caravans are for holiday and recreational purposes only and are not to be used for permanent residential purposes.
“The proof of a permanent residential address has to be provided on an annual basis by the holiday caravan/holiday lodge owner to Haulfryn, if it is not provided, the licence agreement would be jeopardised.”
The development – where some of the luxury lodges sell for £500,000 or more – has space for 500 lodges and caravans as well as its own private beach.
Recommending approval, Gwynedd Council planning officers said: “Several of the site’s users return throughout the year for a weekend of for a short stay and this brings revenue to the local area, supporting local restaurants, pubs, shops, garages, services and facilities.
“Extending the holiday season would encourage visitors to visit outside the usual holiday season, which would have a positive impact on the local and regional economy.
“Extending the holiday season attempts to maintain the local community, safeguarding and providing full-time local employment, creating jobs for the local workforce and leading to further investment.
“Visitors to the Warren stay for short periods in the local area and this will not have a long-term detrimental impact on the Welsh language or the community.”


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The 2021 edition of MakeUp in NewYork may have fewer exhibitors this year due to travel restrictions, but this has by no means put a dampener on innovation. Trends workshops and the 18 winning IT Products are just some of the highlights of the event.
When MakeUp in NewYork opens its doors next week on September 22-23 at the Javits Center, some 30 exhibitors will be showcasing their latest innovations. Among the newcomers this year are FusionPKG, John Davler Inc., USA, and Pure Beauty Labs.
Travel restrictions limiting exhibitors to US companies or those with offices in the country (notably Italian formulators) has, paradoxically “turned out to be a good thing,” says MakeUp in Co-founder and Director Sandra Maguarian. “By presenting uniquely American exhibitors or those with an office in the US, we are in step with today’s “Made in the USA” movement,” she says. “This trade show, like all our events, is what we call Glo.Cal: exhibitors are global, international, while visitors are local, so on the visitor side of things, nothing changes.”
And if visitor pre-registration numbers are anything to go by, all the major prestige groups and indie brands are set to attend, including L’Oréal, Estée Lauder and Unilever. “There is frustration among brands who have not had physical access to new products for almost 18 months, so there is a real appetite to discover the novelties and innovations that have emerged since the beginning of the pandemic,” notes Maguarian. This is also why the organizer chose to focus on the “in-person” aspect, rather than digitizing the event. “Zoom fatigue is real in the US,” quips Maguarian. “In beauty, digital events are not sustainable: we need to be able to touch, see and smell the products!”
So what can visitors to the show expect? In addition to the exhibition space, there will be the Beauty Talks, organized in partnership with Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation, a Parisian trends forecast and consulting firm with offices in the US. Four workshops will be organized, covering the themes of Radical Traceability, Healthification, Eco-Celebration and Unleashing Freedom. Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation is also behind the Inspiration Bar, which will showcase both branded products retailing in the US and those launched by exhibitors that correspond to the four trends.
MakeUp in NewYork is putting the focus on this year’s IT Products – the 18 winning items selected from around 40 applicants will be on the show floor. “Even if the winners couldn’t be there in person, we wanted to highlight their innovations at the event,” explains Maguarian. In the Packaging category, the six following winners were selected by the jury:
APC Packaging for Refillable Jar, a patented jar whose inner cup can be removed and replaced. The jar and cap are available in 100% PCR options.
APC Packaging’s Mono-Material Dropper, a pack with bulb, pipette, collar and bottle all in PP. The dropper can be recycled without disassembling.
Pumtech for Personalizing Duplex, two separate bottles that stack vertically and offer various options for mixed formulas.
Pumtech’s Twist Up & Down (mist pump & essence pump), double-walled refillable packaging with a PET outer bottle and PP Inner bottle with a twist up and down mechanism.
Qualipac for Slim Compact, a recyclable and refillable aluminum make-up compact with removable paper tray that is free of glue and magnets.
Qualipac’s Essentiel, an R-PET make-up compact with refillable pans, available with or without a magnetic closure.
So what’s in-store for next year? A return to “nearly normal”, hopes Maguarian. “All our regular exhibitors who were not able to be present this year have confirmed for 2022, and this is the case for all our trade shows,” she rejoices. “I’m very optimistic going forward.”


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Gas and electricity Updated:
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has released the provisional results of its investigation into competition in the gas and electricity sector, and it appears to confirm what many of us already feared – that the majority of consumers are paying far too much for their gas and electricity supply.
The CMA found that, although competition has benefited customers who have switched to competitively priced fixed-term deals, it hasn't helped the 70% of domestic customers who remain on the more expensive standard variable tariffs (SVTs).
These are the default tariffs that people will often be switched onto once the fixed term of a contract comes to an end, but it could be costing them dearly – CMA's analysis shows that the average customer could save £300 by switching to a cheaper deal, which means that, in total, customers could have been paying £1.7 billion a year more than they would have done in a competitive market.
As a result, the CMA has set out a comprehensive and wide-ranging package of remedies to address the problems that are hindering competition, with the proposals aimed directly at customers to "help and encourage a greater number to benefit from switching to more competitively priced deals".
The measures include the creation of a database of customers (controlled by industry regulator Ofgem) who have been on their standard tariff for more than three years, to allow rival suppliers to target their marketing to those customers and potentially encourage them to switch to a better deal. It'll strengthen the ability for price comparison websites to help customers find better deals, and a temporary safeguard price control could also be implemented to protect those on prepayment meters, where options are more limited. This, in itself, could reduce these customers' bills by a total of £300 million a year, says the CMA.
More behind-the-scenes changes could be implemented, too, which although probably not visible to consumers, could still have the effect of improving competition and the market overall. For example, the CMA is proposing "extensive measures to reset the relationship between Ofgem, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the industry" to ensure that decisions are made efficiently, and that the system of self-regulation of industry codes changes, so that Ofgem is better able to ensure that measures to benefit consumers are introduced promptly.
"We have found that the six largest suppliers have learned to take many of their existing domestic customers for granted, not just over prices, but with their service and quality," said Roger Witcomb, chairman of the energy market investigation. "Yet in those parts of the retail markets where competition is working, customers are benefiting to the tune of hundreds of pounds a year by switching. We're proposing a wide range of bold, innovative measures to enable competition to grow further across the market so that millions more households will benefit."
The measures we've outlined above are just a few of the proposals, and they have yet to be finalised; the CMA hopes to introduce them following the conclusion of its investigation in June, and a consultation period will take place between now and then. Nonetheless, it's hoped that the measures will at least go some way to giving energy customers a fairer deal, but don't wait for these measures to come to fruition – be proactive and save!
By comparing energy tariffs you could find a better deal right now, and as the figures show, if you switch from a variable tariff to a fixed rate deal, you could save as much as £300! So, don't let apathy get in the way of some fantastic cost savings – use our search tool to see if you could cut your energy bills down to size.
Disclaimer: Information is correct as of the date of publication (shown at the top of this article). Any products featured may be withdrawn by their provider or changed at any time.
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Merchant Warehouse, a leading innovator of payment technologies and merchant account services, recently announced the addition of Russell Harty as Senior Vice President, Key Accounts and Partner Channel.
CipherLab has exciting news in obtaining the notable certification for CP60 mobile computer from AT&T, the leading telecommunication company in the United States. The certification applies to the HSDPA/HSUPA feature of the CP60.
D&H Distributing, the major North American computer products and consumer electronics distributor, will conduct its New England 2013 Technology Show on August 6 at the Boston Marriott Quincy Hotel, Quincy, MA.
CipherLab, a leading innovator in Automated Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) is pleased to introduce 1500/1600 linear imager and 2D imager barcodes scanners that capture any and all barcodes printed and electronic, including barcodes on mobile phone and tablet displays.
Datalogic is happy to announce the availability of the latest generation of their successful LaneHawk™ Loss Prevention Solution– the LaneHawk LH4000 unit.
STAR-RFID, a Thailand-based RFID tag manufacturer, and STAR Systems International, an RFID hardware provider and value added distributor, have announced the availability of their new windshield RFID tag designed specifically for automatic vehicle identification applications such as E-tolling, electronic vehicle registration, parking, secure access, and fleet management.
Honeywell recently announced the introduction of the Remote MasterMind 4.0 (ReM 4.0), an extensive upgrade to the automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) industry’s first integrated mobile and scanning device management solution which includes data collection and alert and remote diagnostics.
A recent survey conducted by Intermec revealed that transport and logistics companies could save approximately $459,000 per annum as a result of process re-engineering and the implementation of mobile technology across workflows, but a significant proportion of companies may be missing out on these potential savings.
D&H Distributing, a major North American computer products and consumer electronics distributor, wants to teach its SMB resellers to take a strategic sales stance, offering a roster of products that can save time, money, energy and physical resources for small business environments.
BlueStar, a leading global distributor of ADC, Mobility, Point-of-Sale, RFID, Digital Signage, and Security technology solutions, is pleased announce that it will host its annual VARTECH educational and tradeshow event in San Antonio, Texas, from September 9th through the 11th.


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The users of the NetRange smart TV portal can now access the live TV and on-demand portfolio of OmniBox TV.
NetRange brings ADAC GT to smart TV sets
ADAC GT Masters, Europe’s leading GT racing series, and NetRange join forces.
Grundig selects NetRange for 4K TV sets
German consumer electronics brand Grundig and white label smart TV solutions provider NetRange have agreed on a collaboration regarding Grundig’s new TV platform Ultralogic 4K which will run on Grundig’s […]
NetRange adds watchmi to smart TV portal
The German TV/video app watchmi is now available on TV sets equipped with smart TV portals from NetRange following a partnership signed between the Hamburg-based service provider and watchmi operator […]
AirCast Mobile and NetRange team up
NetRange, a German provider of white label smart TV portal solutions, and US mobile media company AirCast Mobile have agreed on a cooperation to make AirCast’s services available on smart […]
Huawei and NetRange to develop global OTT ecosystem
Chinese technology company Huawei and German smart TV portal solutions provider NetRange have formed a partnership to create a joint global next-generation OTT ecosystem for platform operators.
XGEM adds NetRange smart TV portal to Philips boxes
XGEM, one of Europe’s largest vendors of set-top boxes and TV-related accessories, and German smart TV portal solutions provider NetRange have joined forces for XGEM’s upcoming generation of Philips set-top-boxes.
Vodafone rolls out NetRange’s smart TV portal
Vodafone customers can now use the services of the smart TV portal offered by German provider NetRange including video-on-demand and apps.
NetRange Selects Paywizard for subscriber management
NetRange, a German provider of portal solutions for connected TV sets, has selected UK-based payment solutions provider Paywizard to offer subscriber management services to its B2B pay-TV and video-on-demand customers.
Vonetize channels come to NetRange smart TVs
NetRange has signed an agreement with Vonetize to bring VOD content from channels such as Bollywood Movie Channel, Baby Channel or Total Music Channel, as well as a variety of […]


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Following Trimble’s acquisition of Punch Telematix, the company is now looking to grow its European business by offering a full solution set to both light commercial vehicle and heavy goods vehicle market across Europe.
Trimble will be attending the IAA in Germany for the first time to meet customers, explain the acquisition in more detail and present the companies’ vision for the future.
“With Punch Telematix’s focus on transportation management solutions, the acquisition expands Trimble’s MRM portfolio of products and services,” says Andrew Yeoman, managing director of Trimble’s mobile resource management division in Europe.
“It fits well with our strategy of offering a complete range of solutions for a variety of commercial vehicles—from passenger car and service van fleets to light, heavy and semi trucks.”
Trimble made a cash bid worth around 13.5 million euros (£12 million) for Punch Telematix.
“The market for Punch Telematix solutions are expected to grow, given that Trimble has a global presence as a leading provider of positioning solutions and applications for mobile resource management,” says Michel Van Maercke, CEO of Punch Telematix.
“The acquisition offers good prospects for the future of the business as our solutions are highly complementary.”


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Tutor Doctor unveils striking new global brand
The start of 2018 saw world-leading in-home tutoring franchise, Tutor Doctor, unveil its exciting new look. A striking change, the company’s new branding is sure to turn heads with its bold colour palette, clever imagery and thought-provoking messaging. Something which Tim Morris, Director of Global Franchise Support, confirms is no accident.
“The start of the year was the perfect time to reveal our new branding here in the UK – it’s a big change and it’s been a huge undertaking because every single element has been broken down and rebuilt with our values and our passion for making a difference ingrained in every way. It’s fresh, forward thinking and most importantly, captures the essence of what we do here: help students to find clarity and confidence in their own learning.”
Unveiled to franchisees at their annual ‘Dream, Believe and Achieve’ (DBA) conference in Toronto in July 2017, the rebrand has been a yearlong consultative process involving franchisees, tutors, customers and head office, together with award-winning marketing and branding consultancy, McKee Wallwork and Co.
“Our objective was to unearth, articulate and execute a brand identity embraced by franchisee, tutors and clients, resulting in increased franchise and corporate profitability and ultimately, leading to Tutor Doctor’s recognition as the leader for student success,” explained branding expert and author, Steve McKee.
It’s safe to say that objective has been met. Shaking off tired old industry clichés, you won’t find any staged photo of a child with their head in a book in sight. Instead you’ll now instantly recognise the animated characters and simple, bold line drawings that so beautifully tell the story of the brand. And forget convoluted education-based jargon; meet shrewd, attention grabbing headlines and a no-nonsense approach to language and style that both instils confidence and endears its message to the reader.
Designed to appeal to students and their parents, as well as Schools, Colleges and Local Authorities, the companies new branding emphasises that ‘thinking caps’ come in all shapes and sizes. Instead of trying to impose a single style and method of learning, the Tutor Doctor ethos is that with personal, tailored assistance, all students can achieve success.
All 500+ franchisees in each of the 16 countries in which Tutor Doctor operates are transitioning to the new branding: from websites to vehicle wraps, banners, flyers and stationary to a brand new book which also launched in October 2017. Franchisees were prepared with military precision for a brand unveils with a bang - with the UK’s 55 business owners proudly switching over on January 2nd.
“To see the new branding unveiled at DBA was amazing; the level of detail and profiling and creativity that has gone into the process was remarkable – and the end-result is inspired! We’ve already had wonderful feedback from new customers telling us that we really stood out from the crowd,” said Joanna Butler, Berkshire franchisee.
To find out more about Tutor Doctor’s forward-thinking approach to education and business ownership click 'Request Free Info' to the left of this page.


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Broadcasters across Europe are faced with a rapidly changing video industry.
While disruptors such as Netflix Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and local streaming players flood the market with exclusive and original content, broadcasters are trying to keep pace with the digital competition.
Speaking at Digital TV Central and Eastern Europe in Budapest, Christian Anting, founder and co-chairman of the European Media Alliance who also leads broadcast relationships at Polish operator TVN SA, told the audience "the time has come" for broadcasters to operate together. Anting noted that the European Media Alliance, an interest group set up in 2014, has welcomed a number of high-profile players recently.
Christian Anting at Digital TV CEE
For example, only last month Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. joined the alliance. Other members include U.K.'s Channel 4, ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE and France's TF1 Group. Together, the group reaches around 200 million people across Europe. Its main aim is to "defragment" consumers in the digital age.
"The competition landscape is more complex than ever; new models of cooperation are needed," Anting said.
Across Europe, online video providers such as Facebook Inc. and Google Inc. are making life increasingly difficult for more traditional video companies, particularly when it comes to advertising.
Yet together, Anting argued, broadcasters can develop pan-European investment plans and jointly scout for deals and commercial opportunities. Other opportunities include international partnerships, strategic and commercial business ventures and deals for content rights.
Members invest in consumer-focused digital startups, such as classifieds, social media, e-commerce and marketing firms that are looking to expand their geographical footprint, he said. One example is the European Broadcaster Exchange, an independent joint venture for the programmatic sale of pan-European premium video inventory.
However, cooperation has its limits, as Anting acknowledged the broadcasters themselves are also often fierce competitors. To avoid too much rivalry within the alliance itself, only one broadcaster per geography or market can join.
In general, building long-lasting alliances and partnerships will take time and may happen in various forms, he said.
"It is challenging but [cooperation is] needed," said Anting. "[Broadcasters] must transform and react" to their new digital competitors.


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Posted on March 08, 2016
In Friday’s Opinion section, columnist Coke Ellington argues that tipping has outlasted its usefulness. Don’t tell that to restaurant customers: A recent survey of 3,000 U.S. consumers by Horizon Media found that a whopping 81 percent prefer the status quo to a tip-free alternative.
Restaurant employees hold a similar view: My organization used Google’s Consumer Survey tool to poll roughly 2,500 self-reported restaurant employees who earn tips, and nearly 60 percent rejected even a $15 minimum wage if it meant they would no longer receive tips.
Those looking to get rid of this successful model should take a tip from employees and customers: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”


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The Indian Premier League is all about the money and the brand value of the cash-rich league has been increasing steadily. In the year 2017, the value increased 26% to $5.3 billion, courtesy new sponsorship deals and an anticipated increase in the price of the tournament’s broadcast and media rights. A New York-based corporate finance advisory firm, Duff & Phelps, published a report based on the above numbers.
According to the report, the television rights could be sold for around $1.8 billion for a five-year period. Additionally, Internet and Mobile broadcasting rights could go for $210 million. The bidding began on 21st July and is expected to close on 28th August. The report, titled “IPL: The Decade Edition”, also found that the Mumbai Indians franchise, owned by Mukesh Ambani, have the highest brand value among all the other franchises, $106 million. Duff & Phelps estimated that there were several factors that contributed to the increas in brand value. One of these was the increase in the value of the title sponsor, Vivo paid Rs 2199 crore for the rights for the next five years. Other factors include a similar markup for associate sponsors, value of individual sponsors for the various franchises and the IPL broadcast rights.
“Ten years of IPL has provided us with a glimpse of what to expect in the next 25 years. It will be safe to say that for the foreseeable future, the months of April and May will stay demarcated as IPL territory where nothing else sells.” stated the report.
Duff &Phelps did not take into account the value of the Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiant franchises since the two teams have been disbanded.
“I’ve been intrigued to watch how IPL has marketed and protected its own brand value separate to the clubs.With my experience of having worked with some of the biggest clubs in the English Premier League (EPL),I feel the one thing IPL has done really well is the way it has marketed and protected it’s own brand. Most of the EPL clubs are bigger brands than the EPL brand itself, whereas in IPL, it seems to be brand IPL which is much more powerful compared to the individual franchisees,” said Trevor Birch, Managing Director, Duff & Phelps


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Realising the importance of social networking and still trying to find a way to escape Microsoft’s clutches, Yahoo announced late last week that it would leverage its 500 million users and "integrate social into everything it does".
Dubbed ‘Yahoo Open Strategy’, the company’s plan, which should take one to two years to complete, is multi-faceted. At the heart of the initiative is Yahoo’s intention to unite all its user profiles across its entire set of offerings into one place.
Once complete, the company plans to discontinue some of its less popular services and integrate the rest to create a more social environment. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Yahoo will allow users to create applications for its service and integrate those programs across its entire group of offerings.
The end of the ‘fragmented user experience’
"Right now you manage different bits of personal information in different places and to some extent it is a fragmented user experience," said Neal Sample, Yahoo's chief technical architect.
Yahoo has over 500 million users across all of its services. According to the company, it wants to leverage that user base and connect those people to all of its offerings.
If it succeeds, it will create the world’s largest social network – five times larger than MySpace – and almost overnight become a powerhouse in that lucrative space.


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Following the uproars that greeted the Bitcoin Ordinal system vulnerability, developers have reportedly rolled out version 0.6.0 to rectify the “cursed inscriptions” on the protocol. The latest move is the first move by the developers to recognize and rectify many of the cursed or invalid inscriptions on the Bitcoin Ordinals network.
New Upgrade For Cursed Inscriptions
The creators of the Bitcoin Ordinals protocol have launched a significant enhancement to address the staggering 71,000 invalid or “cursed” inscriptions to ensure easy and seamless transactions. Dubbed the “cursed inscriptions,” the name came into existence due to erroneous opcodes utilization or deliberate misuse of inscriptions, rendering them invalid and unacknowledged.
In an announcement on June 4, a group of developers, spearheaded by the notable Twitter user Raphjaph, unveiled the highly anticipated version 0.6.0 upgrade to the Ordinals protocol. The latest release marks the initial phase in cataloging and indexing the extensive collection of previously overlooked and unacknowledged inscriptions.
In late April, the creator of Ordinals, Casey Rodarmor, put forth a proposal to address the persistent issue of cursed inscriptions. His visionary solution aimed to transform these “cursed” inscriptions into their “blessed” counterparts.
The recently deployed upgrade supports a selected subset of various cursed inscription types. Additionally, the new feature involves the establishment of a block activation height, enabling the seamless indexing of previously invalid inscriptions as standard positive inscriptions.
The famous Ordinals influencer, LeonidasNFT, explained the remarkable development, stating that these newly indexed inscriptions would be seamlessly incorporated into the list of tradable Ordinals. He added that individuals possessing cursed inscriptions should anticipate a notable shift in the negative inscription numbers.
What Are Bitcoin Ordinals?
Bitcoin Ordinals revolutionize the concept of nonfungible asset artifacts by providing a unique platform to engrave data onto the tiniest unit of Bitcoin, known as a satoshi. The protocol was the brainchild of Casey Rodarmor, after making its debut in January, appealing to the cryptocurrency community.
The following month, the frenzy surrounding inscriptions reached new heights as thousands were imprinted onto the Bitcoin blockchain. Thus, there was congestion and notable surges in transaction fees.
Ordinal inscriptions have garnered significant attention due to their striking resemblance to NFTs regarding rarity and collectability. Enthusiastic users are eagerly pursuing a distinctive bit of data that is indelibly imprinted onto the Bitcoin blockchain.
As a result, these initial or converted inscriptions on satoshis hold the potential to attain substantial value in the future. Per the latest data from Dune Analytics, the exponential rise in ordinal inscriptions has resulted in a whopping $45.5 million in transaction fees, with a staggering count of 10.8 million inscriptions recorded since its inception earlier this year.
Following the recent turn of events, Rodarmor disclosed that he would step down and entrust the future of this groundbreaking project to the capable hands of Raphjaph. By introducing Ordinals and inscriptions, Bitcoin developers have seamlessly bridged the world of NFTs with Bitcoin.
Thus, the Bitcoin network can rival the Ethereum network for the top spot position in the NFT space. Also, this innovative integration enables the inclusion of diverse content, ranging from captivating images and videos to dynamic HTML, within a Bitcoin transaction.
Since its inception, the project has kindled intense debates surrounding the implications of ordinals and inscriptions on the Bitcoin ecosystem.
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Since the official release of Windows 10 Creators Update last month, Microsoft has been working on the next major upgrade to the operating system. Dubbed Windows 10 Redstone 3, Microsoft has today announced that the next version of Windows 10 will continue focusing on creativity, giving it the title of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update to bring Project Neon
At the day 2 keynote of its Build 2017 Developer Conference in Seattle, Microsoft announced the next major update for Windows 10. Coming to the public later this year, Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is codenamed “Redstone 3" and Insiders have already received a handful of preview builds.
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is expected to be a bigger update than the Creators Update, bringing new design (more here) and some major changes and feature improvements to the operating system.
Among the most notable features and improvements planned for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update includes the new Project Neon design - which is now being called the Microsoft Fluent Design System. Microsoft's Fluent Design System will change several corners of Windows 10 bringing an intuitive user experience. So far the Fluent Design System has focused a lot on animations, transparency and blur effects. Microsoft today said that the new design will evolve over time with future iterations of Windows 10.
Microsoft is also bringing a new creative app that will introduce a new way of storytelling to Windows 10, the popular My People app, Clipboard Syncing, Timeline feature to keep track of all tasks, improved Pick Up Where You Left Off for Android and iOS, and several other features and improvements with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Here's a quick list of what to expect from Windows 10 Fall Creators Update:
- Microsoft Fluent Design System: Built to deliver intuitive, harmonious, responsive and inclusive cross-device experiences and interactions.
- Timeline: Travel back in time with Timeline which will let you jump back in time to find what you were working on, whether it was 2 hours or 2 months ago. Easily hop back into your files, apps and sites as if you never left.
- Pick up where you left off: Now extended to Android and iOS.
- Save your disk space: Access your files in the cloud without using storage space on your device with OneDrive Files On-Demand. All your files can be seen in File Explorer and accessed on-demand whenever they are needed.
- Story Remix: Story Remix makes it easy to use photos and videos to bring your memories together into a video - with a soundtrack, transitions and 3D objects. Even personalize it with Windows Ink.
So far the next update has been touted as the biggest feature release planned for Windows 10 since its launch in July 2015. However, the name "Fall Creators Update" will definitely make things a little confusing when a major feature upgrade carries the same name as a previous update. This could also show Microsoft's naming strategy going forward as we will receive two feature updates every year, with both of them probably carrying similar names.
Windows 10 Redstone 3 is currently in the development phase with Insiders in the Fast Ring getting regular test builds. Microsoft is expected to publicly release Windows 10 Fall Creators Update later this year in September/October.


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Web3 enhances the internet as we know it today with a few other added characteristics. web3 is:
- Circulated and robust
- Native built-in payments
In web3, developers don’t usually build and deploy applications that run on a single server or that store their data in a single database.
Instead, web3 applications either run on blockchains, decentralized networks of many peer-to-peer servers, or a combination of the two that forms a cryptoeconomic protocol. These apps are often directed to as decentralized apps, and you will see that term used often in the web3 space.
Google Cloud recently reported the private preview of Blockchain Node Engine, a managed node-hosting option for Web3 development. Ethereum will be the first blockchain supported.
Designed to help Web3 developers build and deploy on blockchain-based platforms, the new managed service monitors the nodes and restarts them during outages.
The company had earlier announced it would accept cryptocurrency payments for its cloud services starting in 2023 in partnership with Coinbase. This array of blockchain technology features is part of their web 3 tech integration initiative. Google’s Head of Web 3 Strategy, Richard Widmann, said they intend to “build a giant bridge” between web 3 and tech.
Google has been active in the Web 3 sector regarding business development. Previously, Google partnered with Near Protocol to provide technical support for the latter’s grant recipients. Two weeks prior, the tech giant teamed up with Coinbase to bring crypto payments to its cloud services.
Several prominent Web 3 companies such as Solana, Hedera, and Dapper Labs are currently on board with Google Cloud. Layer-1 blockchain company Aptos has said that its node deployment times have been reducing to less than 15 minutes through its Google Cloud integration.
The main advantages for Web3 organizations will be simplified provisioning, managed operations, and secure development. Including placing nodes behind a Virtual Private Cloud firewall and integrating with Cloud Armor as a protection against DDoS attacks.


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By Stanley Onyekwere
An order to bridge the gap created by the intervening period, when all crops would have gone into the ground, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says it is opening and expanding the floodgates of its food storehouses to farmers and residents in the Territory.
According to the minister of state for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide, who disclosed this during the distribution of the FCT 2014 Public Sale of Buffer Stock Grains, the initiative is with a view to stabilising the prices of agricultural produce as we await yet another bumper harvest.
She said the FCTA is tearing its barns and expanding its walls to make room for the anticipated growth in harvest from the current buffer stock capacity of 1,250 metric tonnes to 3,250 metric tonnes as a result of the boost it recorded.
Represented by the Secretary, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the FCT, Bema Madayi said, the administration aims to increase the productivity of farmers as well as empower the youths and women through various forms of agricultural business.
It would be recalled that FCTA last week commenced the distribution of bags of guinea corn, maize and millet in the 2014 FCT Buffer Stock Programme at 50 percent discount rate.
The bags of grains were purchased from farmers in the territory during the last harvest season under the FCT Buffer Stock Programme, in a bid to cushion the effect of the high cost of food items on Abuja residents.
“Consequently, the FCT administration is championing value addition, sourcing for markets, enlightenment, sensitisation and education of farmers on the availability of new technologies and new ways of doing agriculture.”
She said 16, 507 bags of maize, 1, 880 bags of guinea corn and 2, 393 bags of millet all in 50kg sizes were approved for distribution.
She stressed that the grains are to be sold to the public, area councils, government agencies and various farmer association at 50 percent discount rate.
Accordingly, maize and guinea corn would be sold at N2, 200. 00 while millet will sell at N3, 000.00.
Akinjide pledged the administration’s commitment to continue to live up to the ideals of the FCT Buffer Stock programme towards reducing wastage and ultimately ensuring food security in the territory.
“We shall embark on direct sales at designated outlets as well as our FCT agricultural stores throughout FCT, to ensure that many residents benefit from the scheme,” she said.


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It may sound ridiculous, but for many British motorists, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches and veteran DJ, Dave Lee Travis are common extras we can expect to find when buying a used car.
According to a survey of 1,000 UK motorists by used car retailer Network Q, car jargon still remains such a mystery that one in four wouldn't bat an eyelid if offered a car complete with a BLT.
Motorists were given nine examples of common car jargon and asked to identify the correct meaning from four possibilities for each. In each case, there was an option that was a red herring and irrelevant to used cars.
A quarter of motorists believed BLT was a common car term, with most stating it stood for the fictitious brake-lock transmission.
Twenty two per cent failed to spot that DLT, the common acronym for former Radio 1 DJ, Dave Lee Travis, was a red herring. Instead they believed they'd be buying a car with either a dealer liaised transaction, dual turbo or dashboard lighting.
Although ABS (anti-lock braking system), FSH (full service history) and BHP (brake horsepower) were correctly identified by more than 90 per cent of motorists, lesser-known terms including ICE (in car entertainment), ESR (electric sunroof) and T&T (taxed and tested) were wrongly identified by 40 per cent of motorists.
More than half - 56 per cent - of the motorists surveyed, admitted they would try to research the meanings of car jargon before buying a used car.
Almost the same number - 57 per cent - would take a friend specifically to help with terminology, while 30 per cent claim to understand all the terms and ten per cent would try to bluff it on a forecourt.
When it comes to incomprehensible jargon, IT professionals were chosen as the worst offenders by 35 per cent of those surveyed.
They were followed by politicians - 26 per cent, lawyers - 13 per cent, estate agents - eight per cent, civil servants - six per cent - and used car salesmen on four per cent.
Richard Hughes, Network Q spokesperson, says: "Jargon is part of everyday conversation but it doesn't necessarily make life easier. If anyone was offered a car with a DLT included you'd expect them to run a mile.
"However, there is a danger people can be bamboozled by jargon and we'd always urge them to go to a reputable dealer for peace of mind - or you might get more than you bargained for."


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Matt Powell, an industry analyst at NPD group, tweeted that Jordan is now below Adidas on Monday, stressing that Adidas has taken the position of Jordan as the second top-selling U.S. footwear brand, though he didn’t attribute it to Kanye’s shoes.
In his tweet, he said that he never expected such Adidas achievement. Powell reported that the sales of Adidas’ footwear went high by more than half in August. Its market share also scaled up by 13 percent. He added that Adidas had been bent on shoe chains such as Foot Locker, where its experience more than twice its sales during the month. The females’ sales also doubled, causing a general 3 percent increase in women’s sales, while Nike hardly upped in this category.
Nike faces more struggle than before
Obviously, it’s a time for struggles for the leader in the industry, Nike. The Nike brand has witnessed lower sales in Q2, and recently declared its restructuring agenda that would lay off about 2% of its workforce globally and about 700 at its Beaverton headquarters. Investors were encouraged last week on the cover of Barron to steer clear from buying Nike. Powell points out that this marks the second time that Nike has not maintained the top two positions for top-selling brands.
Regarding top selling footwear, Nike still takes the lead. According to the dollar amount, the five best-selling shoes in August were the Nike Air Huarache, Nike Tanjun, Chuck Taylor Low, Adidas Tubular Shadow, and Nike Revolution 3. Powell said the last month was the highest months of sales regarding footwear.
While other sales channels grew, sales at the ‘critical athletic specialty/sporting goods’ stores dropped.’ Several people have wondered the possibility of sales of basketball footwear which has been down, grow again. Powell said Adidas basketball is up 40 percent, while the sales for the category go down by 20 percent.


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Breitbart – by CHRISS W. STREET
For the last three months, hackers had access to customer credit and debit card names, numbers and expiration dates at 395 Dairy Queen stores in the U.S. stores, according to news reports. The hackers installed the same “Backoff” malware on local stores cash registers that was used in a major identity theft at Target earlier this year.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service are reportedly working together to chase the identity thieves that use Backoff as a point-of-sale malware that remotely exfiltrates “consumer payment data” as if the requester was the corporate data administrator.
DHS cyber cops believe that the malware was first released a year ago October and remained undetected by virtually all anti-malware software until massive customer complaints at Target this spring. DHS has documented that over 1,000 businesses in the U.S. have had customer data compromised, and urges all firms to investigate if they have are infected.
“The Secret Service is contacting impacted businesses, as they are identified, and continues to work with and support those businesses that have been impacted by this [Backoff] malware,” according to a DHS publication.
The KrebsOnSecurity website that first broke the DQ story said that financial institutions in several states, including Alabama, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas, were dealing with a pattern of fraud from cards used at Dairy Queen,
“At this time, there is no such policy,” a company spokesman told NSN Money. “We would assist them if [any franchisees] reached out to us about a breach, but so far we have not heard from any of our franchisees…”.
Julie Conroy, research director at Aite Group, told KrebsOnSecurity that corporations must have a breach notification policy to protect customers and the company’s brand:
This goes back to the eternal challenge with all small merchants. Even with companies like Dairy Queen, where the mother ship is huge, each of the individual establishments are essentially mom-and-pop stores, and a lot of these stores still don’t think they’re a target for this type of fraud. By extension, the mother ship is focused on herding a bunch of cats in the form of thousands of franchisees, and they’re not thinking that all of these stores are targets for cybercriminals and that they should have some sort of company-wide policy about it. In fact, franchised brands that have that sort of policy in place are far more the exception than the rule.
DQ may be the largest hack recently, but identity thieves are hard at work trying to hack other retailers. Sears Holding Co. said late Friday that it recently discovered that point-of-sale registers at its Kmart stores were compromised by similar malicious software that stole customer credit and debit card information. The company says it removed the malware and contained the breach, but that the investigation is ongoing and they are cooperating with federal investigators.
“Yesterday our IT teams detected that our Kmart payment data systems had been breached,” said Chris Brathwaite, spokesman for Sears. “They immediately launched a full investigation working with a leading IT security firm. Our investigation so far indicates that the breach started in early September” according to Krebs.
2 thoughts on “Identity Thieves used “Back Off” Malware To Hack Dairy Queen”
For 3 months? And they are just telling us about this now? Gee…THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP!
I guess it’s high time for everyone to get into the habit of using cash, rather than debit cards.
I’ll have a frosty freeze please. Here’s my debit card. WTF? Pay cash morons.


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Agency Urges Caution on Net Neutrality
The chairman of the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday recommended against additional regulation of high-speed Internet traffic.
Deborah Platt Majoras said policymakers should proceed cautiously on the issue of "net neutrality," which is the notion that all online traffic should be treated equally by Internet service providers.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Majoras said that without evidence of "market failure or demonstrated consumer harm, policy makers should be particularly hesitant to enact new regulation in this area."
In separate remarks before a lawyers' group Wednesday, Majoras said the agency was unaware of any market failure or consumer harm in the high-speed Internet market, according to a written copy of her speech.
Majoras' comments provide support for telecommunications companies such as AT&T Inc. and Comcast Corp., which oppose so-called net neutrality regulation. They would like the option of charging customers more for transmitting certain content, such as live video, faster or more reliably than other data.
Supporters of net neutrality rules, including consumer groups and content providers such as Google Inc., are concerned that Internet access providers could slow or block content in the absence of such rules, particularly as Internet providers offer their own services, such as Internet phone calls.
Majoras also said the agency's report concludes that such competition concerns can be addressed by antitrust law.
The Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice have jurisdiction over high-speed Internet access, while Congress has considered legislation that would mandate network neutrality.
The agency also said in its report that certain practices that would discriminate among Internet traffic, such as prioritizing some data or providing exclusive deals to content providers, "can benefit consumers" as well as harm them.
The report grew out of a workshop the agency held in February on Internet access and net neutrality issues.